Adjustable axle.



100.802,021. PATBNTED 00T. 17., 1005.

W. M. P0010. ADJUSTABLE' AXLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25.1905.

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Attorneys Witnesses l /l r/f/ l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADJUSTABLE AXLE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1905.

Application iiled May 25, 1905. Serial No.y 262,295.

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Be it known that I, WILLIAM MARTAIN POND, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at (reenview, in the county of Menard and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Axle, of which thefollowing is a specilioation.

lhis invention relates to the axles of vehicles, and has for its objectto provide a simpl y-constructed device of this character whereby thetransverse distance between the treads of the wheels may be increased ordecreased as desired to equalize the wear upon roads or pavements andprevent the formation of ruts or gullies therein.

With this and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novelfeatures of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters,is illustrated the preferred form of embodiment of the invention capableof carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood thatthe invention is not necessarily limited thereto, as various changes inthe shape, proportions, and general assemblage of the parts may beresorted to Without departing from the principle of the invention orsacrificing any of its advantages.

In the drawings thus employed, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of theimproved device, partly in section; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame.

In many parts of the country the softness of the ground causes thewheels of vehicles to form deep ruts in the roads, especially in rainyweather, and renders the roads rough and unpleasant to travel over andseriously interferes with the passage of loaded teams thereover, and theexpense of keeping such roads in repair 1s a serious item in thetax-budget of many communities. Many attempts have been made to preventthe formation of these objectionable ruts, such as wideningthe treads ofthe wagons, especially heavy farm-wagons; but this does not whollyprevent the formation of the ruts. To restore the uniformity of thesurface of roads and prevent the formation of ruts of undue depth is theprincipal object of the present invention, which consists in providingmeans for altering the distance between the wheels, or what is known asthe gage of the vehicles, so that when the ruts become unduly pronouncedthe gage can be changed to prevent the vehicles from traveling in theruts, but forced to travel upon the "lands at the sides of the ruts,thereby causing the soil to crowd laterally into the old ruts andfilling them and restoring the road to its former uniform surface. Thenwhen ruts are again formed by the wider gage the wheels are restored tothe standard gage and the action repeated, and so on as often asrequired. Thus the roads are maintained in uniform condition by the veryagency which formerly caused the inequality.

Theimproved device is applied to both axles of the vehicle; but as theconstruction is the same for both axles it is shown applied to the rearaxle only.

In applying the improvement the ordinary axle of the vehicle(represented at 10) is shortened either by sawing off the ends when thedevice is to be applied to vehicles already constructed or forming theaxles of less length than usual when applied to vehicles whenmanufactured. Attached beneath the shorter axle 10 is a supplementalaxle 11, preferably tubular, and secured thereto, as by clips 12 orother suitable means, and nearly equal in length to an ordinary axle.Slidably disposed upon the ends of the member 11 are hubskeins 13 14,having threaded studs on their outer ends for receiving the hub-holdingnuts 15 16 and with spaced collars 17 18 at their linner ends, thecollars to support rings 19 20,

as shown. Pivoted at 21 to the axle member 10 is a plate 22, having rods23 24 pivoted thereto at opposite sides and extended to forked members25 26, the latter in turn pivoted at 27 28 to the rings 19 20. By thissimple arrangement it will be obvious that when the plate 22 is turnedinto one position the skeins 13 14 will be moved inwardly upon themember 11 and outwardly upon the same when the position is reversed.Thus the transverse distance between the treads of the wheels may bealtered to any required extent.

An operating-handle 29 extends from the plate 22, and suitable stops,such as pins 3Q, will be arranged for insertion in apertures 31 in theaxle in the path of the handle to hold the handle and the partsassociated therewith rigidly in adjusted position. In practice the plate22, together with its connected rods and skeins, will be held only inentirely projected TOO or entirely withdrawn position; but for clearnessof the illustration the plate and other parts are shown in intermediateposition.

It will be obvious that the skeins and the wheels carried thereby may beheld at any desired point within the range of movement of the plate byproviding' a plurality of the apertures 31 spaced apart as required.

The member ll will be provided with means, s uch as pins, extending'laterally therefrom and engagingI longitudinal channels in the interiorfaces ot' the skeins for" permitting the skeins to move longitudinallyto the member 11, but prevented from rotation thereon, one of the pinsbeing shown at 34 and one of the channels in the skeins at 35; but itwill be understood that each skein will be supplied with one of thechannels and each member ll with two ot' the pins, one near each end.

The device is simple in construction, can be applied to any ofthe-various forms of vehicles, manufactured at small expense, and willoperate efectually for the purposes described.

Having fully described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. Thecombination with a vehicle-axle, ot' hub-skeins mounted for longitudinalmovement relative to the same, and means carried by said axle foradjustably moving the skeins thereon and holding them in adjustedposition.

2. The combination with a vehicle-axle, of hub-skeins mounted forlongitudinal movement relative to the same, a plate mounted for rotationon said axle, rods connected at one end to said platel at opposite sidesot its pivot and movably coupled at the other ends to said skeins, andmeans for actuating said plate and locking the same in any requiredposition.

3. The combination with a vehicle-axle having lateral pins, ofhub-skeins mounted for longitudinal movement relative to the same andprovided with interior slots for engaging4 said pins, and means carriedby said axle for adjustably moving the skeins thereon, and means forholding them in adjusted position.

4. The combination with a vehicle-axle, 'of a supplemental memberconnected thereto and extending beyond the ends of the same, hubskeinsslidably disposed upon said member, and means carried by said axle foradjust-ably moving said skeins upon said member and holding them inadjusted position.

5. The combination with a vehicle-axle, ot' hub-skeins mounted forlongitudinal movement relative to the same and provided with spacedannular ribs at the inner ends, collars engaging the skeins between saidribs, a plate mounted for rotation on said axle, rods connected at oneend to said plate and at opposite sides of its pivot and movably coupledat the other ends to said collars, and means for actuatingsaid plate andlocking the same in position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MARTAIN POND. lfVitnesses:

A. J. POND, Louis A. BUCHNER.

